I realize this is an extremely vague Autopian Asks, but if there’s anything I’ve learned during the process of tinting my 2021 BMW i3S Rex Giga World it’s that everyone has an opinion on tint. Do you like the way it looks? How much tint is too much tint? Is ceramic worth it? Do you stay within legal limits? Do you have trouble seeing at night? Is it going to gain you appreciable EV range? Anyway, let’s get into it.
I recently got my BMW i3S tinted, and if I’m honest, I didn’t want to, I sort of had to. The truth is that driving in LA with a car that has untinted windows is true misery, and I found myself regularly having to put my left hand up near my door glass to block the sun from burning my face. (It doesn’t help that the i3’s sun visor does not telescope!). Not only that, but I had to crank on the air conditioning when it really wasn’t even that hot outside, it was just the radiative heat transfer toasting me. The result was reduced range.
Of course, AC compressors don’t really use up that much range when compared to a heater, but between the efficiency drop and the comfort compromises, it was clear to me that tintlessness was jut not gonna work. That’s a shame, because I don’t like the way tint looks on a car.
Have a look at my BMW i3S before the tint, and you’ll see that glass was a prominent element of its design. Look at how that raer window is squeezed at the rear, but expands forward into a tall second-row window, which rises up to join the front glass. There’s just so much of it, and it is a clearly well thought-out element of the car’s design:
I think, especially on the models that have body-colored roof trim, the glass looks amazing:
But tinting glass essentially removes it in the eyes of the viewer. It’s no longer glass, visually speaking.
My car’s tint is fairly modest, but you can imagine how a darker-tinted car would look no different than if you’d replaced the glass with a piece of black-painted sheetmetal:
Glass is a beautiful thing, and to essentially hide it by tinting it, I think, is actually a step backwards in some cases. I think the best example of this is cars with tall greenhouses â boxy off-road vehicles in particular. I’ve written about this before:
One example I give in that article (aside from the Wrangler shown above) is the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Look at how gorgeous it looks with its stock glass:
And look at how much of the magic has been lost by essentially turning the glass into black panels:
Anyway, this concept of “glass is beautiful” isn’t a new one in cars or in architecture, but there are practical concerns that sometimes dominate, like in my case.
I could have just slapped some ceramic on there and it likely would have still kept the heat off my face without much tint, but ceramic coating still doesn’t look the same as perfectly clear glass from the outside. What’s more, as someone who wears glasses and doesn’t plan on getting prescription sunglasses, this is a little less straining to my eyes, so I’m quite happy with my decision to go 20% in the rear and what might look like 50% up front but can’t be since it’s not legal. I reckon it protects my interior from sun-damage, as well.
Driving at night isn’t an issue with this modest tint level, I use the AC much less, I feel comfortable, and even though I love the look of glass, I think on the i3S with the black trim it looks OK. I prefer the clear, but it’s not a big deal.
Anyway, tint is a hugely contentious topic, I’ve found while reading up on which levels I should get for my car. So let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Tint is fine as long as pedestrians and cyclists can see the driver. Its a serious safety issue if we can’t, because we need to know if you see us to be safe crossing in front if you at intersections.
If all we can see is just a sea of black glass, you’re a horrible person and should be sentenced to 5 years of driving a carbureted Dodge Omni with no A/C.
I feel attacked. An Omni with no A/C and zero options was my first car. But in fairness, I totaled it within the first 9 months, so maybe you are right…
I’m sorry, Michael. If it’s any consolation, I once bought a NEW car with a carburetor, no A/C, and no radio: ’83 Honda Civic S, just after college.
I thought I was a baller because it always started on Minnesota winter mornings, unlike all my previous beaters.
My ’13 Si came with tint that has obviously been on there for a while, even on the windshield. I can hardly wait until the spring when I can remove it, the rear glass tint is bubbling around the defrost lines, and they even tinted the windshield, which has scratches in it.
Not a fan of window tint as it ages.
Love all the tint. The darker the better. The contrast with or blending in with the exterior of the car is great. I will hate the day I can’t get my windows tinted because my old eyes can’t take it. Just make sure there are no bubbles or waves in it.
I hate tinted windows.
On my car or the car in front of me that’s tailgating the car in front of it who’s brake lights I can’t see because of the stupid tint.
I hate windows that don’t open.
You can imagine how I feel about tinted windows that don’t open.
I also hate the fact that you can’t buy many cars with clear glass because by tinting the windows, the automakers can put fake windows or much smaller windows covered by oversized glass that hide the fact that from the inside you have windows reminiscent of a ferret
What the hell is wrong with the people that design those things?
I’m fairly indifferent to tint as long as it’s been done properly with no bubbling or waviness.
Having said that, I do wish the tint on my Crown was a little less aggressive, it’s basically pitch black out the rear at night, and I don’t think the auto dimming mirror ever needs to actually auto-dim. Not going to do anything about it though.
The tint at the rear of my Territory (SUV) is handy though because otherwise you could see what’s in the boot. It was a “feature” on any trim level above the base spec.
I totally get moderate tinting. It makes a difference if you live somewhere hot and sunny, and there may be some extra piece of mind around making it harder for unsavory types to see what you’ve left in your parked car when you’re away.
That said, excessive tints on side windows make four way stops more of a pain for everyone.
Tinted windshield? I will assume you are a sociopath. Tinted headlights? I would like you to surrender your license please. Tinted taillights? It’s unsafe, and really, this is what you’ve chosen to spend your time and money on?
I try to give people the benefit of the doubt, but especially with tinted windshields, I just can’t.
Yeah. I have never understood why some people are into “smoked” taillights.
I’m absolutely, resolutely anti-tint. I’ve ripped the film of side windows of used cars I just bought. Fortunately my used Mercedes didn’t have tinted front windows, because the rear window tint wasn’t a film- it was dark glass.
Yes, sun glare can be a problem, especially in my high-topped Ford C-Max. I keep a floppy hiking hat handy. Solar heat is only a summertime problem in my sunbelt city, and both my cars have strong AC systems. I’ll give up one mpg for better visibility, which works in both directions. It’s essential to have good vision out of side windows at night. That’s where you look to spot crossing traffic and pedestrians, especially with steep windshield profiles. Any tint reduces your night vision.
Following this safety rule of See and Be Seen, I also want other drivers to be able to see my face and spot where I’m looking. This makes intersections and driveway exits less stressful for both parties. I especially don’t want to stress out any cops who might pull me over.
I bought a CPO Tacoma with tint job done by the previous owner that is so good I thought it was factory. I love the tint because of how it blocks the sun and how the truck looks. It passed inspection last year because my mechanic did me a solid, but he told me I had to drop it off next time with the front windows rolled down so that they’d “forget” to check the tint percent.
My last two vehicles had back windows factory tinted, so I had the fronts done to match the same darkness for consistency. I also had a clear heat-rejection film put on every other pane of glass. Didn’t want them darker, but there was a noticeable difference in cooling during hot Texas summers, especially when the windshield was done.
My wife refuses to have any film at all put on her car’s windows, even clear for heat rejection.
For me I like it and get my fronts tinted to match the factory rears. Extremely dark is crazy including when folks get the windshield dark too.
I agree with Tracy on how factory clear glass looks perfect on old classics like that Wagoneer image he posted.
To each their own I suppose.
My spouse drove a Nissan Pulsar to work when we lived in Phoenix. While it was only a 15 mile drive, it took 45 minutes. It was purchased in Seattle, so no A/C. The job was with a big corporation, so she was all suited up. Imagine wearing a suit in a car in summer in Phoenix in stop and go traffic in a black car wtih highly slanted windshield. After about a week of getting roasted to and from work, we went car shopping. Could have had A/C installed, but got a 300zx instead.
I live in Phoenix. Tint is about as important as water in the summertime. Nobody gets tint to make their car LOOK cool.
The aesthetics of tinting is really something that has never occurred to me. If the tinting is so dark that I can’t see your face and read your expression after you pulled some bone-headed move that forced me to radically alter velocity or direction, I’m annoyed. Otherwise, I don’t care. It’s your car and your outward visibility; you get to choose.
Beyond that, a poorly done tinting job that’s delaminating from the glass is gross. It ranks right up there with excessive negative camber on slammed cars and fart can exhausts. The Venn Diagram on those three is almost a perfect circle.
I just had a thought… make the tinting film out of material that has some ballistic mitigation to protect you from not only the sun’s rays but bullets as well.
Living in sunny climates requires tint. If looks matter, get your vehicle in black.
I’d like to tint my front side windows so they match the factory tinted rears. IMO a good tint job adds as much to a car’s looks as a bad one takes away. Well, almost.
As long as we’re talking about cars getting hot in the sun, WTH is up with the black roof trend? It can’t help, right? I don’t understand it, stylistically or functionally. It’s the landau top of the 2020s.
I’ve only ever lived in LA and sunnier/hotter parts of California and I’ve never tinted my windows. I don’t even own a pair of sunglasses either. Until I started having kids 4 years ago I put a minimum of 20k miles a year on my cars too. I hate the sun, but I’ve always been fine in my car.
I’m not a fan of tinted windows.
If I was an LEO, I would hate dealing with motorists’ heavy tints. I’m sure that’s why states pass vehicle codes regulating max transmission. Pulling someone over and not being able to see what’s going on inside, I’d probably go into felony stop protocols and ask for backup. But I’m not.
At age 60, I bought a Honda Accord in 2017 in SE TX and opted not to get the windows tinted. My car seemed to be one of the few around there that wasn’t after-market tinted. Stock, there is SOME tinting.
I live in the PNW now and solar radiation around here is not nearly as big of an issue as it was down/back there. Even in the summer. In TX, if I had to park it out in the sun, I’d crack the windows open an inch or so and put the sunroof up in vent mode (where the glass tilts up and sheds ~90% of any surprise rain). If there was the slightest breeze, that was enough to keep the interior pretty close to ambient. From May to October, that was usually around 95 *F and 80-90% relative humidity.
Starting the car, the a/c would come on, I’d roll the side windows down, fully open the sunroof and the interior would be comfortable in a couple of minutes. I’d say the Honda was able to keep up with any conditions I encountered down there. The 2001 Jetta it replaced was at least as competent and my (then) wife mentioned that the a/c and seat heaters in it were better than the X5 she had at the time. The condensation puddles in the garage getting home were pretty impressive.
Seven years down the road, my night vision is not what it was back then, and any additional tinting would not be helpful. My distance vision is still excellent, and a pair of polarized sunglasses is all I need to drive comfortably in the daytime. And Honda was smart enough to orient the LCD panels in that the polarized glasses don’t block their displays.
Final thought: if I was an LEO, I would hate dealing with motorists’ heavy tints. I’m sure that’s why states pass vehicle codes regulating max transmission. Pulling someone over and not being able to see what’s going on inside, I’d probably go into felony stop protocols and ask for backup.
Depends on the car and the level of tint. I had done my Fiesta to 30% (what was legal in Indiana) and it made the car look worse, but definitely helped in the sun. I have no desire to tint the windows in my 3 but the AC gets COLD in a hurry and the climate control keeps it at 69.
I’m generally against tinting windows for looks but on some cars it’s a necessary evil to not roast in the sun. But there have been a few cars that looked good to me with tinted windows. I saw a Challenger wrapped in pink with purple flames and dark windows that looked fantastic.
I grew up near Sacramento and in the summer, it’s very warm and sunny. My first two cars (’68 Datsun 510; ’71 Peugeot 504) didn’t have a/c but did have vinyl seats. My 3rd car, a ’74 BMW Bavaria did have a/c, but it was so feeble, it may as well not have had it. And window tinting wasn’t a thing.
I’d be interested (and very may well) in reading about the actual efficacy of tinting, thermally. I mean, the film is on the inside. It absorbs heat itself while keeping the bits behind it a little cooler, but since it’s not reflective, all that heat is still getting into the interior of the car. But since hot seats feel hotter than just hot air, maybe it works?
A quick Google search confirms what I thought: it’s based on the film. Some are great at blocking heat and others just exist for privacy. When I had my Fiesta done, I had a few choices and paid for legal and the best sun protection they had. It wouldn’t necessarily keep the car cooler if it was sitting in the sun all day, but there was a noticeable difference in how hard the AC had to work to cool it down and keep it there. It sounds like the stuff they use on buildings is primarily designed to block heat and privacy is a much lesser concern, whereas it’s probably the opposite for many car owners.
I’m sure it’s an interesting area of engineering. Some films may well reflect infrared without necessarily looking reflective. For me, the loss of nighttime vision is the key factor.
I hate tint. I want to be able to see at night. I don’t trust any of these morons on the road and need to watch out for them. It gets hot in CA, but I’d rather be safe, than comfortable. Plus it doesn’t really matter now that we have an ioniq 5. I can turn the AC on from my phone before I leave the house. So cool car and I can see at night.
i tinted all my previous cars windows before NYS passed the tint law. I was unaware of this until a kind state trooper educated me to this fact.
A few states have similar regulations for tint(in Massachusetts max allowed for state inspection is 35%). I havenât had a desire for it unless it came stock from the factory with the vehicle.
It’s essential where I live but boy is it ugly. I’d rather have an ugly window than go blind.
Stylistically it looks nice where the greenhouse and DLO shape is a feature like the i3. It also makes a car look more solid, substantial. Thatâs why itâs almost always used in advertising. But I hate it for my own vehicles because I live in a place where the sun doesnât come out very much and I need every bit of visibility in the rain and dark. And I totally agree about dehumanizing other people in traffic and not being able to make eye contact with cyclist and pedestrians.
Currently residing in northern Illinois, I wouldn’t want to go the summer without tinted windows. All three of our vehicles have tint on the side and back windows. On my wifes Challenger I let them talk me into the upgraded ceramic tint, but after a few hours in the sun I really don’t see any difference in that from my other vehicles so I’ve stuck with better brand quality but not “upgraded” since.
The Challenger is at 35% (legal limit in Illinois, I didn’t want her getting hassled as it’s already rather loud), my car is 25% (I was willing to risk it) and my K5 is something ridiculous. I bought it already tinted, it’s bad enough that at night I have to drive with the windows down or I can’t see out of them. It seems to be cheap tint on them too, so I’m thinking I might just peel it off this summer when it’s out of storage, but it is nice to know it’s harder to see what’s inside the truck at least, especially where the rear is just a canvas top anyone can open.
If I can’t see through your car backing out of a parking lot because the side windows are so dark, I’m going to think bad thoughts about you. If you have a tinted windshield, I hope I never encounter you after dark, but I hope the cops do.
Tinted headlights? I automatically think you’re a dolt. Same for tinted taillights.
Yes. I’m judgmental.
It’s only being “judgemental” when you’re wrong and you’re not wrong.
I’ll never forget my dumbass uncle having to lean out the driver’s window to navigate out of a grocery store parking lot one night. Why??
Car nerd, but also a huge motorcycle and road bicycle dork. Communication with other road uses matters.
I don’t understand why anyone would compromise night vision. Any tint should be as little as possible, and beyond the legal limit is just crazy. Tinted windows work against what we were taught in driver’s ed: to look at the other drivers to see where they’re looking, and to verify that they see us. That practice is all the more valuable when I’m a cyclist or a pedestrian.
Overall, I’m a huge fan of window tint. It improves the look, helps climate control work more efficiently, and provides privacy. In my experience, 20% is the sweet spot, with 70% on the windshield (basically clear, but excellent for heat/UV)
With the styling of most modern vehicles, all around tint is almost always better looking.
The UV and heat benefits are a huge bonus, as is the privacy. I think the “fishbowl” look is ridiculous and nobody needs to see in my private property.
There are exceptions – classic cars with thin pillars tend to look better without tint.
But my biggest pet peeve is unmatched tint. Many cars come from the factory with rear “privacy” glass and clear front windows to comply with regulations. This mismatch is visually jarring and always looks shit.